PARIS, FRANCE — At the World Climate Summit in Paris, France, the Global Renewable Fuels Alliance (GRFA) in cooperation with (S&T)2 Consultants Inc., an international energy and environmental consulting firm, released a new report “Green House Gas (GHG) Emission Reductions from World Biofuel Production and Use for 2015.”
The report found that year after year the total annual GHG emissions savings from global biofuel use are increasing. In 2014, the total GHG emission reductions from global biofuel use was 169 million tonnes - a savings which is greater than the total GHG emissions of 28 individual Annex 1 countries attending COP21. The report predicts that, even under a business-as-usual scenario, the total GHG emission savings achieved from biofuels use could rise to 264 million tonnes in 2030, a 56% increase.
The report, released at a World Climate Summit (WCS) event organized by the GRFA, the Biotechnology Industry Association (BIO) and EuropaBIO, comes only days after the global biofuels sector united to call on world leaders attending the COP21 to support a global commitment to replace at least 15% of the world’s total oil use in transport with sustainable biofuels by 2030, with a significant presence of advanced biofuels. The call for action was issued by five biofuel and biotech organizations that collectively represent over 330 companies responsible for 90% of the world’s biofuels production.
“The world needs realistic and immediate measures to reduce transport emissions, not future magic wand solutions,” said Robert Wright, secretary-general of the European renewable ethanol association (ePURE). “Sustainable biofuels, such as ethanol, are a realistic climate solution available now and can be used in the existing vehicle fleet to immediately reduce emissions. There must be stronger global and regional policy measures to harness the benefits of sustainable biofuels and encourage innovation in the sector, particularly in the area of ILUC mitigation techniques and the development of advanced biofuels.”
